Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements
Cutaneous microcirculatory perfusion is commonly measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) probes, which provide a continuous, non-invasive quantification of skin blood flow (SkBF). However, inhomogeneities in the skin’s microvasculature density contribute to a decrease in reproducibility wheneve...
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| Format: | Article |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.876633/full |
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| author | J. Carter Luck Allen R. Kunselman Michael D. Herr Cheryl A. Blaha Lawrence I. Sinoway Jian Cui |
| author_facet | J. Carter Luck Allen R. Kunselman Michael D. Herr Cheryl A. Blaha Lawrence I. Sinoway Jian Cui |
| author_sort | J. Carter Luck |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cutaneous microcirculatory perfusion is commonly measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) probes, which provide a continuous, non-invasive quantification of skin blood flow (SkBF). However, inhomogeneities in the skin’s microvasculature density contribute to a decrease in reproducibility whenever an LDF probe is removed and replaced, as is the case during pre- and post-intervention or between-day measurements. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether increasing the total number of individual LDF probes in a localized area improves the reproducibility of the measurement. Seven laser Doppler probes were secured in a custom-made acrylic holder designed to attach to the skin’s surface easily. SkBF, local skin temperature (Tsk), and blood pressure (BP) were assessed in 11 participants (6 M, 5 F, 42 ± 15 years). SkBF and Tsk were measured from the dorsal forearm (arm trial) for 5 min. Next, the multi-laser device was moved to the lateral side of the calf (leg trial), and measurements were obtained for 5 min. Each arm and leg trial was cyclically repeated three times, and all trials were separated by intermissions lasting 10–15 min. The average SkBF and the cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) from all possible LDF probe combinations were not statistically different across the three arm and leg trials. Two-way mixed-effects models with absolute agreement were used to compute the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for CVC, and the minimum ICC increased with the addition of LDF probes. The ICC of the average CVC from seven LDF probes was 0.96 between the arm trials and 0.91 between the leg trials, which suggests that there is excellent reliability and little difference between trials following the removal and replacement of the device. Moreover, all individual ICC values from ≥3 LDF probe combinations were greater than 0.70 (i.e., good reliability). These data suggest that SkBF measurements with multiple laser Doppler probes in a custom-made holder have excellent reproducibility after replacing the probes within the same participant. Therefore, this application could provide more reproducible assessments between repeated measurements (e.g., before and after exercise or clinical procedures) where the LDF probes must be removed and replaced within the same location. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:19:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-850d72ef3bf34d4da0cafbf5b6f126c7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:19:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
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| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-850d72ef3bf34d4da0cafbf5b6f126c72022-12-22T03:35:25ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2022-05-011310.3389/fphys.2022.876633876633Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow MeasurementsJ. Carter Luck0Allen R. Kunselman1Michael D. Herr2Cheryl A. Blaha3Lawrence I. Sinoway4Jian Cui5Penn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesDepartment of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesPenn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesPenn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesPenn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesPenn State Health Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United StatesCutaneous microcirculatory perfusion is commonly measured using laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) probes, which provide a continuous, non-invasive quantification of skin blood flow (SkBF). However, inhomogeneities in the skin’s microvasculature density contribute to a decrease in reproducibility whenever an LDF probe is removed and replaced, as is the case during pre- and post-intervention or between-day measurements. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether increasing the total number of individual LDF probes in a localized area improves the reproducibility of the measurement. Seven laser Doppler probes were secured in a custom-made acrylic holder designed to attach to the skin’s surface easily. SkBF, local skin temperature (Tsk), and blood pressure (BP) were assessed in 11 participants (6 M, 5 F, 42 ± 15 years). SkBF and Tsk were measured from the dorsal forearm (arm trial) for 5 min. Next, the multi-laser device was moved to the lateral side of the calf (leg trial), and measurements were obtained for 5 min. Each arm and leg trial was cyclically repeated three times, and all trials were separated by intermissions lasting 10–15 min. The average SkBF and the cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) from all possible LDF probe combinations were not statistically different across the three arm and leg trials. Two-way mixed-effects models with absolute agreement were used to compute the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for CVC, and the minimum ICC increased with the addition of LDF probes. The ICC of the average CVC from seven LDF probes was 0.96 between the arm trials and 0.91 between the leg trials, which suggests that there is excellent reliability and little difference between trials following the removal and replacement of the device. Moreover, all individual ICC values from ≥3 LDF probe combinations were greater than 0.70 (i.e., good reliability). These data suggest that SkBF measurements with multiple laser Doppler probes in a custom-made holder have excellent reproducibility after replacing the probes within the same participant. Therefore, this application could provide more reproducible assessments between repeated measurements (e.g., before and after exercise or clinical procedures) where the LDF probes must be removed and replaced within the same location.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.876633/fullskin blood flowlaser Dopplerthermoregulationreproducibilitymicrocirculation |
| spellingShingle | J. Carter Luck Allen R. Kunselman Michael D. Herr Cheryl A. Blaha Lawrence I. Sinoway Jian Cui Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements Frontiers in Physiology skin blood flow laser Doppler thermoregulation reproducibility microcirculation |
| title | Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements |
| title_full | Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements |
| title_fullStr | Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements |
| title_short | Multiple Laser Doppler Flowmetry Probes Increase the Reproducibility of Skin Blood Flow Measurements |
| title_sort | multiple laser doppler flowmetry probes increase the reproducibility of skin blood flow measurements |
| topic | skin blood flow laser Doppler thermoregulation reproducibility microcirculation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.876633/full |
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